Unable to access Keychain on macOS Sequoia 15.5

On Sequoia 15.5 when I try to start Keychain Access either by double clicking a certificate or by double clicking on '/System/Library/CoreServices/Applications/Keychain Access.app' or doing "open '/System/Library/CoreServices/Applications/Keychain Access.app'" in a terminal, it shows a dialog offering to start the Passwords app instead. I select the 'Open Keychain access' option and it asks for my login password twice but doesn't appear and there is no icon for it in the dock.


This appears to the issue reported here, without resolution:


Keychain Access Not Working - Apple Community


Is there a workaround for this?



[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Keychain Access doesn't start

Posted on Jun 5, 2025 6:33 PM

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8 replies
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Jun 6, 2025 3:37 AM in response to glenn_lt

glenn_lt wrote:


Owl-53 wrote:


glenn_lt wrote:

I hadn't changed my password but just to check I did:

glenn@mm ~ % security unlock-keychain login.keychain
password to unlock login.keychain: <correct pw entered> # note no confirmation of sucess
glenn@mm ~ % security unlock-keychain login.keychain
password to unlock login.keychain: <wrong pw entered> # already unlocked so this appears to be ignored
glenn@mm ~ % security lock-keychain login.keychain # lock it to see if wrong password fails
glenn@mm ~ % security unlock-keychain login.keychain
password to unlock login.keychain: <wrong pw entered>
security: SecKeychainUnlock login.keychain: The user name or passphrase you entered is not correct.
glenn@mm ~ % security unlock-keychain login.keychain
password to unlock login.keychain: <correct pw entered> # keychain is now unlocked

With the login keychain unlocked like this then the Keychain access app launches as expected.
OP wrote " The issue is that after choosing "Open Keychain access" in the dialog shown above and entering my login password twice, in two subsequent dialogs, Keychain access does not launch. "
Yes that is correct. That was what was happening before I manually unlocked the login keychain. That the above resolved the issue was incidental and was my way of checking that the login keychain password was the same as my login password and I was reporting that as a workround.

Perhaps also relevant is that I was logged in from another mac using the built in vnc client. Maybe that doesn't unlock the login keychain?

That is, honestly, a question I could not answer


For one


The Plans that Apple may have for Keychain, indicates it is moving towards being " Sunset " at sometime in the future


Migrating Keychain Access secure notes to Notes app notes


Thanks to contributor @ MtHoffman




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Jun 5, 2025 7:41 PM in response to glenn_lt

Open Spotlight (command-spacebar), type Keychain Access in the search field and click on the Keychain Access app. This works for me on my M1 Studio Max and macOS 15.5 Sequoia. Since most users have no business mucking around in the keychain Apple has purposely not made it obvious.

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Jun 5, 2025 10:26 PM in response to den.thed

Thanks but that is not the issue I'm having. You can see from the question that I'm aware of the new location of the app and have tried to launch it by several different methods.


The issue is that after choosing "Open Keychain access" in the dialog shown above and entering my login password twice, in two subsequent dialogs, Keychain access does not launch.

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Jun 6, 2025 1:05 AM in response to glenn_lt

If you need to update your keychain password on Mac


Would suggest reading the entire article


We have provided only a snippet


" Your login keychain password is normally the same as your user password (the password you use to log in to the computer).


At login, if your keychain password somehow differs from your user password, it doesn’t automatically unlock, and you’re asked to enter the keychain’s password. It’s recommended that you enter your previous user password. If this doesn’t unlock the keychain, the keychain automatically resets. "


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Jun 6, 2025 2:57 AM in response to Owl-53

I hadn't changed my password but just to check I did:


glenn@mm ~ % security unlock-keychain login.keychain
password to unlock login.keychain: <correct pw entered> # note no confirmation of sucess
glenn@mm ~ % security unlock-keychain login.keychain
password to unlock login.keychain: <wrong pw entered> # already unlocked so this appears to be ignored
glenn@mm ~ % security lock-keychain login.keychain # lock it to see if wrong password fails
glenn@mm ~ % security unlock-keychain login.keychain
password to unlock login.keychain: <wrong pw entered>
security: SecKeychainUnlock login.keychain: The user name or passphrase you entered is not correct.
glenn@mm ~ % security unlock-keychain login.keychain
password to unlock login.keychain: <correct pw entered> # keychain is now unlocked

With the login keychain unlocked like this then the Keychain access app launches as expected.

Reply

Jun 6, 2025 3:05 AM in response to glenn_lt

glenn_lt wrote:

I hadn't changed my password but just to check I did:

glenn@mm ~ % security unlock-keychain login.keychain
password to unlock login.keychain: <correct pw entered> # note no confirmation of sucess
glenn@mm ~ % security unlock-keychain login.keychain
password to unlock login.keychain: <wrong pw entered> # already unlocked so this appears to be ignored
glenn@mm ~ % security lock-keychain login.keychain # lock it to see if wrong password fails
glenn@mm ~ % security unlock-keychain login.keychain
password to unlock login.keychain: <wrong pw entered>
security: SecKeychainUnlock login.keychain: The user name or passphrase you entered is not correct.
glenn@mm ~ % security unlock-keychain login.keychain
password to unlock login.keychain: <correct pw entered> # keychain is now unlocked

With the login keychain unlocked like this then the Keychain access app launches as expected.

OP wrote " The issue is that after choosing "Open Keychain access" in the dialog shown above and entering my login password twice, in two subsequent dialogs, Keychain access does not launch. "

Reply

Jun 6, 2025 3:30 AM in response to Owl-53

Owl-53 wrote:


glenn_lt wrote:

I hadn't changed my password but just to check I did:

glenn@mm ~ % security unlock-keychain login.keychain
password to unlock login.keychain: <correct pw entered> # note no confirmation of sucess
glenn@mm ~ % security unlock-keychain login.keychain
password to unlock login.keychain: <wrong pw entered> # already unlocked so this appears to be ignored
glenn@mm ~ % security lock-keychain login.keychain # lock it to see if wrong password fails
glenn@mm ~ % security unlock-keychain login.keychain
password to unlock login.keychain: <wrong pw entered>
security: SecKeychainUnlock login.keychain: The user name or passphrase you entered is not correct.
glenn@mm ~ % security unlock-keychain login.keychain
password to unlock login.keychain: <correct pw entered> # keychain is now unlocked

With the login keychain unlocked like this then the Keychain access app launches as expected.
OP wrote " The issue is that after choosing "Open Keychain access" in the dialog shown above and entering my login password twice, in two subsequent dialogs, Keychain access does not launch. "

Yes that is correct. That was what was happening before I manually unlocked the login keychain. That the above resolved the issue was incidental and was my way of checking that the login keychain password was the same as my login password and I was reporting that as a workround.


Perhaps also relevant is that I was logged in from another mac using the built in vnc client. Maybe that doesn't unlock the login keychain?

Reply

Unable to access Keychain on macOS Sequoia 15.5

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